During my search for a V8V, I've noticed that some had fading along the left edge of the driver seat bolster. I understand that because it's so low that you tend to rub against the edge as you're getting out. But I had a Range Rover Sport where I needed to jump down and would constantly rub against the seat. I owned it for 5 years and didn't have any fading. Is the leather material of the V8V's poor quality or just really thin?

 

Most leather in cars is coated with a plastic type layer. Makes it more durable, but takes away some of the natural feel of leather. The rubbing off of color has nothing to do with thickness or quality, but the finish.

If you ever seen vintage leather jackets, the color has naturally rubbed off in places. The leather quality is often outstanding, it's the dying process which has rubbed off.

 

hmmmm... did not know that about the plastic finish layer.

 

Absolutly.....ever felt the "leather" in a chevy? Or for that matter BMW....

 

BTW, the wear on the Astons on the driver seat bolster is usually due to pulling up the handbrake and your fingernails/hand rubbing against the leather.

 

I think the quality of the leather in the AM is the best of ANY car I have owned. My car is 3 years old and the leather still smells and looks new. I am very impressed with the wear and tear or lack thereof. BTW, I never use any leather products on my car,. Just a lightly damp micro fiber towel and dusting every week or so.

Adam

 

LOL....never been in a chevy or any American brand for that matter with leather .

BMW and other cars from Europe, yes for sure...

...nothing against American brands, just have not been in one finished with leather. I'll take your word on it...

 

That's very interesting that you've never "conditioned" your leather... food for thought.

 

Yeah, for some reason I just never felt like the leather needed conditioning. I regularly conditioned the leather in all of my previous cars. I should mention that my car is parked in a heated and cooled garage at home and work. Not sure if that makes a difference but I swear the leather in my car still looks new. The leather is one of the features I like most about the car. I used to get embarrased when I would show people the interior of my 996TT. Even when the Porsche had 10,000 miles it looked like garbage. Maybe it's because I had the supple leather??? Who know but the AM leather has held-up great.

BTW, I am car detailing fanatic. I have a complete set of detail tools/supplies and regularly wash/polish/wax, etc. my cars. I have tried many leather conditioners/cleaners in my other cars but never felt the AM needed anything.

Adam

 

I have had the same thing happen in my Aston, in a '04 Carrera, in an '02 'vette, and now beginning in my Ferrari. There seems to be some place on any well-bolstered sports seat where you rub your butt across the leather on entering and exiting and eventually it wears in some way.

The only really bad experience among these cars was the vette-the wear place was right at a seam and it opened up the seam and the upholstery split" consistent with the so-so quality of the 'vette, though, but still incredibly stupid of the designers to put the threads/seam right there.

I have actuall made a "saddle" --a small leather device that I velcro on to the side bolster of the seat in my Ferrari --to protect it because the wear spot is close to a seam and very small but seems to suffer extreme wear at one point. As for the Aston, I have a detailer come by once a month to do my cars and once he brought some leather cleaner and a dye or coloring fluid that pretty much restored the color but not the entire sheen of the leather. When I traded it, the dealer, who is incredibly picky about everything, said nothing about the seat wear, so I guess it looked pretty good to someone else, not just me.